By J.T. Keith
El Rito Media Sports Editor

Artesia High School’s cheerleaders have shown what a new coach and a dedicated group of seniors can do, given time.

In her second year as coach leading the Bulldog cheerleaders, Sabrina Roybal steered Artesia to a second-place finish at last weekend’s 2025 NMAA State Spirit Championships and moved the team closer to her ultimate goal of a state title.

Closing the gap

Artesia is closing the gap on five-time reigning champion Taos, which scored 91.81 and 87.53 for a total performance score of 179.3. Artesia scored 90.7 and 80.3 for 171 points.

“We had a little deduction mistake or the score would have been closer,” said Roybal, a 2010 Artesia graduate. “I want these girls to know what it feels like to be a state champion. Our Artesia teams won state from 2006-2009. I was on the last two teams.”

Last year, Artesia finished in fifth place at state. One of the changes Roybal made was to improve the team’s athleticism and conditioning.

“Most people think that a cheerleader is someone who just waves pompoms and looks pretty,” Roybal said. “But these girls have put in hard work this season, and their workout plans are growing each year so they can compete at this level and execute on elite skills at the state competition.”

Dreams do come true

Roybal, 32, works at Yucca Elementary as a Special Education Assistant for Speech Therapy and is completing her Elementary and Special Education degrees at Eastern New Mexico University.

Roybal said she had been coaching youth programs for years and decided to ask if she could start a cheer program at the junior high school but found out there was a vacancy at Artesia High. She interviewed for the job and was named the assistant coach for the 2023-2024 season. The previous head coach moved away this past year and Roybal landed the job.

“Becoming the head coach was always a dream of mine,” Roybal said, “especially after graduating from this program.”

Six seniors

Roybal has counted on six seniors: Rilynn Erbacher, the head senior captain; Lilyan Riley, a senior captain; Andrea Montes, Lexie Laing, Anisa Ramirez and Adalyn Troost.

Roybal said many people aren’t familiar with these seniors’ struggles.

“I am the third coach the girls have had since they entered the program,” she said. “I am extremely proud of these girls and their hard work. I know everything they put on the mat. I want to be to the girls what some great mentors such as my old coach Jennifer Houghtaling have been to me. I’m blessed with the opportunity to develop these girls in cheer and life after cheer.”